The Evolution of Modern Yoga by Daniel Simpson - ISBN: 9798887621715
Hardcover
Yoga’s transformation from ancient asceticism to global wellness industry.
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  • Hardcover

    312 pages

  • Release Date

    19 November 2026

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Summary

Scholar-practitioner Daniel Simpson offers a lucid and accessible guide to how the aims and methods of yoga have transformed over the centuries. Drawing on the latest research in the rapidly growing field of yoga studies, Simpson examines key trends, influential teachers who shaped the development of contemporary forms, issues of authenticity, concerns about cultural appropriation, and questions of ownership.

Before the modern era, most yogis were men who renounced worldly life. Non-s…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9798887621715
Author:Daniel Simpson, The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
Publisher:Insight Editions
Imprint:Mandala Publishing Group
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:312
Release Date:19 November 2026
Weight:507g
Dimensions:229mm x 152mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“An accessible and comprehensive study by one of the brightest voices in yoga scholarship today. There is no other book on the topic of modern yoga that presents the subject with such mastery, clarity, and care for the reader’s experience.” – Mark Singleton, Author of Yoga Body and Co-Author of Roots of Yoga“An accessible and comprehensive study by one of the brightest voices in yoga scholarship today. There is no other book on the topic of modern yoga that presents the subject with such mastery, clarity, and care for the reader’s experience.” – Mark Singleton, Author of Yoga Body and Co-Author of Roots of Yoga“An accessible and comprehensive study by one of the brightest voices in yoga scholarship today. There is no other book on the topic of modern yoga that presents the subject with such mastery, clarity, and care for the reader’s experience.” – Mark Singleton, Author of Yoga Body and Co-Author of Roots of YogaThe traditional yogic texts of India portray social engagement and the body – with its endless cravings – as obstacles, whereas yoga in our present day is generally understood as the performance of postures that promise physical fitness and mental calmness, but not much more … Author, scholar, practitioner, Daniel Simpson invites us on an exciting detective quest and journey back in time to explore the nature and causes of this shift. – Sharon Gannon, Author, and Founder of The Jivamukti Yoga MethodThe traditional yogic texts of India portray social engagement and the body – with its endless cravings – as obstacles, whereas yoga in our present day is generally understood as the performance of postures that promise physical fitness and mental calmness, but not much more … Author, scholar, practitioner, Daniel Simpson invites us on an exciting detective quest and journey back in time to explore the nature and causes of this shift. – Sharon Gannon, Author, and Founder of The Jivamukti Yoga MethodThe traditional yogic texts of India portray social engagement and the body – with its endless cravings – as obstacles, whereas yoga in our present day is generally understood as the performance of postures that promise physical fitness and mental calmness, but not much more … Author, scholar, practitioner, Daniel Simpson invites us on an exciting detective quest and journey back in time to explore the nature and causes of this shift. – Sharon Gannon, Author, and Founder of The Jivamukti Yoga MethodThe Evolution of Modern Yoga offers a sensible and intellectually entertaining overview of the roots and evolution of modern yoga, analyses some of its most important characteristics, and is written in a clear and lucid language. – Knut A. Jacobsen, Professor in the Study of Religions, University of Bergen, and Editor-in-Chief of Brill’s Encyclopedia of HinduismThe Evolution of Modern Yoga offers a sensible and intellectually entertaining overview of the roots and evolution of modern yoga, analyses some of its most important characteristics, and is written in a clear and lucid language. – Knut A. Jacobsen, Professor in the Study of Religions, University of Bergen, and Editor-in-Chief of Brill’s Encyclopedia of HinduismThe Evolution of Modern Yoga offers a sensible and intellectually entertaining overview of the roots and evolution of modern yoga, analyses some of its most important characteristics, and is written in a clear and lucid language. – Knut A. Jacobsen, Professor in the Study of Religions, University of Bergen, and Editor-in-Chief of Brill’s Encyclopedia of HinduismA fantastic, well researched, and much needed contribution to the yoga community, answering the central question “How did we get here?!” It is supported throughout by meticulous scholarly research, fun facts, and penetrating insights. – Ray Raghunath Cappo, Author of From Punk to Monk, and Host of the Wisdom of the Sages podcastA fantastic, well researched, and much needed contribution to the yoga community, answering the central question “How did we get here?!” It is supported throughout by meticulous scholarly research, fun facts, and penetrating insights. – Ray Raghunath Cappo, Author of From Punk to Monk, and Host of the Wisdom of the Sages podcastA fantastic, well researched, and much needed contribution to the yoga community, answering the central question “How did we get here?!” It is supported throughout by meticulous scholarly research, fun facts, and penetrating insights. – Ray Raghunath Cappo, Author of From Punk to Monk, and Host of the Wisdom of the Sages podcast

About The Author

Daniel Simpson

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Mandala Publishing Series

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies is an academy dedicated to the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. The Mandala Publishing Series offers authoritative yet accessible introductions to a wide range of subjects within Hindu Studies. Each book in the series aims to present its subject matter in an engaging and readily comprehensible manner for individuals from all backgrounds, whether academic or otherwise, without compromising scholarly rigor. The series thus bridges the divide between academic and popular writing by preserving and utilizing the best elements of both.

  • General Editor: Lucian Wong
  • Editorial Board: John Brockington, Avni Chag, James Madaio, and Valters Negribs

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